When God Says Go…
As we celebrate Christmas, we will look together into the presence of Angels (Messengers of God) throughout the Christmas Story. Each of these Herald Angels comes with a message, and each of these messages tells us something of God’s will and agency in the world and in bringing about the Christmas Story.
So far, we’ve read passages from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. An Angel has visited Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and a group of shepherds (with a whole chorus of the heavenly host in tow). Today, we read once more from the Gospel of Matthew where an angel visits Joseph and where God communicates in other ways to a group of wisemen.
May our hearts be opened to the many ways God moves us by hearing their stories.
Matthew 2:1-13 – Go, Go, Go Around, Go
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory—this was during Herod’s kingship—a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East. They asked around, “Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We’re on pilgrimage to worship him.”
When word of their inquiry got to Herod, he was terrified—and not Herod alone, but most of Jerusalem as well. Herod lost no time. He gathered all the high priests and religion scholars in the city together and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
They told him, “Bethlehem, Judah territory. The prophet Micah wrote it plainly:
It’s you, Bethlehem, in Judah’s land,
no longer bringing up the rear.
From you will come the leader
who will shepherd-rule my people, my Israel.”
Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, “Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I’ll join you at once in your worship.”
Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!
They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.
In a dream, they were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country.
After the scholars were gone, God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.”
(Matthew 2:1-13 MSG)
Commentary
There is an awful lot of telling people where to go in this passage.
Something moves the wisemen to leave where they were dwelling in ‘the East’ and come see the baby. Maybe it was a conviction that the star they saw was a sign from God. Maybe it came from reading scripture and putting together the fact that this star they saw was in the place Micah wrote about. Maybe it was a God-nudge, where these men didn’t know why they left at first, but discovered it along the journey.
For whatever reason (and I’m sure there are other possible forces), the wisemen leave their homes and begin their journey to find Jesus. They travel and they come up against the ruling authority of the land – King Herod.
King Herod gives the wise men some instructions, too. With false claims of faith and devotion, he tells them to go and return, that they might lead him there also.
Herod cunningly articulates a desire to worship this God-baby lying in the manger, but his real intentions are quite murderous. He hopes the wise men will go, heed his words and return, that he might also go and kill Jesus before he becomes a problem.
The wisemen do go see the baby, following the lead of this star-sign sent for them, and they share in a glorious moment with the Christ Child. They offer gifts and bow down to worship him. Because their journey was long, they likely spent many days in Bethlehem, tending to the child, speaking with Mary and Joseph, maybe even hearing the testimony of the shepherds.
At some point, they, or one of them, have a dream – a dream where God tells them (likely through a vision) that they’ll need to return home, but to avoid King Herod at all costs, and so they go home another way. Their journey forms a circle, two paths which cross only at their starting point and their destination.
After they leave, God sends another angel to Joseph who brings a message of warning – Herod is trying to kill Jesus. Run, get out now.
And Joseph, taking Mary and Jesus, goes.
Today’s Questions
Today’s scripture contains many examples of how we might hear or feel God moving in our lives. How do you feel God’s presence moving in your life?
When the wise men journey to find Christ, they come up against the governing authority in the area. Herod asks them to do one thing, but God warns them to disobey him and do another. Are we ever called to disobey the law or leader of the land either because it is unjust or because God is doing something more important in us? Can you think of any examples?
The wisemen follow this star that leads them to the stable where Jesus is laid. They are led in a remarkably explicit way, rather akin to the way Moses and the Israelites are led by pillars of cloud and fire through the Wilderness in Exodus. Have you ever felt that God was leading you in a direct way like this? Where did God take you?
A Blessing for Your Week
Child of God,
In this new year,
May the wisdom of God embolden you
To go when you need to go
To take alternate paths
To find safety in times of peril
To ignore counterfeit claims of the conniving
To recognize the son of God when He is before you
And to worship the Light of the World –
The God who is Love
Amen.
Rev. Kelsey Sherazi 
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